SCARBOROUGH (NEWS CENTER Maine) - Forming friendships. It’s at the core of every college experience. But University of New England senior Sarah Titcomb’s newest friends don't live on campus.They’re residents of Scarborough Terrace Assisted Living, a community for older adults.
Titcomb volunteers at Scarborough Terrace twice a week as part of her internship program within her Health, Wellness and Occupational studies track at UNE.
"Kind of facilitating things, making connections with the residents, all of the fun stuff," Titcomb says.
Titcomb and the residents spend hours creating word games, playing the piano, and engaging in friendly bean bag competitions. The residents say having students like Titcomb visit makes a world of difference.
"Just their fresh ideas and stuff from us old people, it’s nice to have someone new come in," one resident said.
The benefit is mutual. Aside from companionship, Sarah’s gained skills critical to pursuing a career in health and wellness.
"Most everybody’s had a grandparent or a favorite older person in their life and this is a way to just take all of those things you kind of know intuitively but develop them into hopefully programs and a career that they’ll develop as they move forward," Scarborough Terrace employee Elizabeth Simonds said.